Events in Durham, NC | Find Festivals, Concerts & Sporting Events

Every day in the Bull City, there’s a wide variety of events happening to help you connect with our vibrant community. In fact, our event calendar hosts more than 5,000 visitor-friendly, Durham-grown events per year. Event organizers, small businesses and other organizations put together events like concerts, social gatherings, fund raisers, fairs, festivals and more, all designed for connection and sharing of cultures. If you're already here or planning a trip, use our search function below to find events suited to all interests and ages, from festivals and holiday headliners to creative DIY events, trivia nights, art exhibits, makers' markets and more.

Plan a Trip Around Durham's Biggest Annual Events

Durham is home to many homegrown festivals and events that happen annually and are easy to plan a trip around. From beats to barbecue and everything in between, check out our seasonal events page to find the perfect time to visit the Bull City.

Submit an Event to our Calendar

If you're a Durham-based venue or organization and you'd like us to include your event on our calendar, follow the link below to find our submission guidelines and submit your information.

Submit an Event

If you have any questions, please email eventcalendar@discoverdurham.com.

Featured Events

African American Dance Ensemble Kwanzaafest

Kwanzaa Fest is more than just a gathering; it’s a time to honor African American culture and values, including unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. It's also a time for reflection and celebration, with communal feasts and gatherings that bring together family and friends. Performances start at 2:00 pm.

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Jason Isbell

Six-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Jason Isbell is one of the most respected and celebrated artists of his generation. The North Alabama native possesses an incredible penchant for identifying and articulating some of the deepest, yet simplest, human emotions, and turning them into beautiful poetry through song. Isbell sings of the everyday human condition with thoughtful, heartfelt, and sometimes brutal honesty. After releasing multiple critically-acclaimed albums, appearing in an Academy Award-nominated film, Killers of the Flower...

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Third Friday in the Visitor Info Center - Artist Reception with Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof

Celebrate Third Friday with an artist reception featuring photographer Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof at the Visitor Info Center. His exhibition, Life is Service, highlights community, connection, and hospitality, showcasing people from beloved local businesses. Stop by for a free slice of pizza and earn a check-in for the Love Durham as a Creative Challenge! Continue your night visiting downtown art galleries and other Third Friday events!

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Killers of Kill Tony

Building upon the success and energy of “Kill Tony”, "Killers of Kill Tony" showcases the diverse talent pool of comedians who have graced the stage of the original podcast with their wit, humor, and unique comedic styles. “Killers of Kill Tony” will feature your favorite characters doing their longer standup sets, all in one night. Regulars and fan favorites from “Kill Tony”, one of the top live podcast in the world, bring their standup show...

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Sherri Shepherd: Make It Make Sense Tour

Lessons, Life, and LaughterSherri Shepherd is a Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show host, comedian, actress, and best-selling author. She hosts the nationally syndicated talk show “SHERRI,” where her warmth and fiery humor shine through her topical headlines, celebrity interviews, comedy, and uplifting stories. Recently, she co-starred in Tyler Perry’s acclaimed film “STRAW” and is preparing to release her first children’s book, “The Sunshine Queens.” A multiple NAACP Image Award winner, Sherri has also earned recognition...

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Brett Young

From his self titled debut in 2017, Brett Young has captured the hearts of fans everywhere through his honest lyrics and West Coast meets Southern sound, aptly dubbed his “Caliville” style. With more than 8.5 billion global streams and seven consecutive No. 1 singles, Rolling Stone has called him “one of Country’s most consistent radio stars,” carving a lane as one of the genre’s most successful and relatable voices. With an impressive string of hits...

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Seth Meyers: Live

Seth Meyers is an Emmy Award-winning writer, New York Times bestselling author and host of NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” since 2014. Meyers began his TV career with “Saturday Night Live” in 2001 where he was a cast member for 13 seasons. He served as head writer for nine seasons and “Weekend Update” anchor for eight. He has released two critically acclaimed stand-up specials to date, “Lobby Baby” (Netflix) and “Seth Meyers: Dad Man...

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Mrs. Pat

Following the success of The Ms. Pat Show, BET/Paramount Global signed Pat to a multi-genre overall deal under which she will produce, write and perform in new series and other projects—both scripted and unscripted— across all platforms. Under this deal, she debuted her weekly court show Ms. Pat Settles It on BET linear on October 18th, 2023. In the beloved tradition of Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, and Steve Harvey, Pat takes hold of the...

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Hannah Berner

Hannah Berner is a stand-up comedian and New York Times Best-Selling author known for her relatable humor and charismatic crowd work. She rose to prominence with her debut comedy special “We Ride at Dawn” which premiered at #2 on Netflix. Berner hosts two hit podcasts, Giggly Squad alongside Paige DeSorbo and Berner Phone with Des Bishop, which have garnered over 100 million combined downloads. After a sold-out national tour, Berner and DeSorbo recently released their...

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Evening with Gregory Porter

With his rich baritone voice and his mastery of the deepest traditions of soul, jazz and gospel, Gregory Porter has established himself as one of America's most versatile and acclaimed vocalists. His artistry and sensitivity is plain to the ear whether he's putting his stamp on beloved standards by heroes like Nat ""King"" Cole or demonstrating his own writing talents with original songs strong enough to stand with the many classics in his repertoire. Produced...

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NEEDTOBREATHE

Despite a 20-year history filled with accolades, GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum band NEEDTOBREATHE approached their latest studio album with a renewed mindset - a band still feeling they have something to prove. Over the years, they’ve carved out a distinctive space across multiple genres, blending modern rock, purpose-driven soul, and pop appeal into a rare and impressive track record. With five Number One albums spanning the Billboard Rock, Alternative, and other charts, over three billion career streams...

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Branford Marsalis Quartet

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis is one of the most influential and revered figures in contemporary music. The NEA Jazz Master, GRAMMY Award winner, and Tony and Emmy Award nominee is equally at home performing concertos with symphony orchestras and sitting in with members of the Grateful Dead, but the core of his musical universe remains the Branford Marsalis Quartet. After more than three decades of existence with minimal personnel changes, this celebrated ensemble is revered for...

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Karaoke Night

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Freaky Friday Dance Party!

One thing about it, is you know you are the baddest “B around, so why not tip toe through Durham’s sexiest Queer nightclub with that killer... Details

Guided Spirits Tasting Tour

Join a brand ambassador from Liberty & Plenty Distillery for a guided tour of the production facility and rickhouse in Downtown Durham to... Details

Tasting at Ten

Tasting at Ten is a free coffee tasting hosted by Counter Culture Coffee at the roastery, every Friday at 10am. A new coffee is featured... Details

Discovering West Point: Historic Walking Tour

Have you ever wondered about the lives of the people who were here before you? At West Point on the Eno, explore the complex histories of... Details

Food Truck Friday

Grab some grub every Friday night in the Beer Garden. They'll have some of your favorite food trucks returning as well as some new ones, so... Details

The Duke Street Dogs

The Duke Street Dogs are a four-piece acoustic band out of Durham, NC. They play songs written by Dog Michael Borstelmann, as well as... Details

Mrs. Roper Romp

Join 8 Track Minds for a costume party based on Three's Company. C’mon get happy with all your singalong and dancing favorites from the era... Details

Pregame Fridays!

Every Friday at Club Era they pick a spotlight artist playlist. All you need to do is show up on the dance floor with your moves and vibes! Details

Live Vinyl Spinning by PhDJ Every 1st & 3rd Friday!

A favorite local DJ comes to spin records every FIRST and THIRD Friday of the month with a variety of vinyl offerings. Anything from funk... Details

ART by Yasmina Reza

RedBird brings its 2024 hit show to Live at Bay 7 for a LIMITED ENGAGEMENT! ART by Yasmina Reza translation by Christopher Hampton... Details

Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band

Led by the celebrated vocalist and luminary Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band brings charisma, passion, and... Details

Durham Events Calendar

Plan a Trip Around Durham's Biggest Annual Events

Submit an Event to our Calendar

Featured Events